Page 88 of The Dance

“He doesn’t even know where you live.”

“Are you sure about that?” I challenged. Our address wasn’t linked anywhere with Sweethearts because it wasn’t required to be a sugar baby, but it still concerned me. Brody was out on bail and could find a way to get revenge on Molly for turning him in.

“I’ve locked him out of our systems, and neither of you told Brody your real name. If anything, he would come after me. I was the one who got him arrested.”

“He knows you were behind it?”

“The DA made a point of saying so at his bail hearing.”

“That still makes me—” My phone buzzed with a text, and I pulled it away from my ear, only to draw in a small breath when I saw who had texted me. I quickly opened the message.

My Favorite Bartender: Hey stranger. Molly showed up at The Wild Pony and she’s wasted. I can bring her home when I get off at 2 unless you can come get her.

I held the phone back to my ear and said to Eddie, “Actually, Molly’s at a bar. I need to go get her.”

“How do you know?”

“I …” I hesitated for a split second because I wasn’t sure if I wanted Eddie to know about Blake, and I wasn’t sure how I could explain that the bartender had my number, so I went with, “She just texted me.”

“Good. Go get her and let me know if you need anything.”

“Thank you. I will.”

“And don’t worry about Brody. You’re safe.”

“Okay.” I wanted to believe him.

“Goodnight, sunshine.”

“Night, sweetie.”

I sent a reply to Blake:

Thank you. I’ll be there soon.

* * *

Pullinginto the parking lot of The Wild Pony, I spotted Molly’s Beemer and then parked a few spaces over in an empty spot. I wasn’t nervous as I drove to the bar, but as soon as I opened the door to get out of my car, a sense of anxiousness washed over me. It wasn’t because I was going to pick up my drunk roommate. It was because of the man I knew was waiting inside. It wasn’t as though it was the first-time meeting, or we’d had a nasty breakup—if you could break up with a fuck buddy, that is. I just hadn’t seen him in so long, and usually, I wasn’tdatingsomeone while we were hooking up. Sure, I would go on dates for Sweethearts, but I felt nothing for the sugar daddies. Even though Blake and I were never serious, I always cared for him, and maybe deep down, I had wished he was the dating type. If he were, maybe we could have been more. Or maybe it was wishful thinking. Didn’t matter. I was going on tour for six months, and I had Eddie. Eddie, who I fell for more each day.

Walking up to the entrance of the bar, I took a deep breath before opening the door. My heart beat a little faster in my chest as I entered. It wasn’t that busy, and I immediately spotted Blake behind the bar. He was smiling the smile that always made my belly dip, and even though it wasn’t directed at me, it still affected me.

Almost as though he’d sensed me walking in, he lifted his gaze, and our eyes met. We grinned at the same time, and without hesitation, he walked around the bar and engulfed me in a giant hug, my legs lifting slightly off the ground as he picked me up.

“I hear congratulations are in order,” he said into my hair and then set me down on the floor.

“For what?” I asked dumbly.

“For going on tour with Haze.”

“You mean Maze.” I beamed.

“Oh, right. Not my kind of music, so my bad.”

“It’s okay.” I licked my lips nervously and looked around the bar. “Where’s Molly?”

“In the office.” He hooked his thumb in that direction. “I’ll go get her.”

“Thanks.”